Heart Of The Garden
by Dungeoneer
Summary: A Hunter delves into the history of the vex, what he finds will haunt him forever. Who can he believe? Who is the true evil? "I can't know if what I'm doing is right or wrong, I can only do what I feel is right, and I am more than willing to fight for that." -Kyle


The black garden was just as the hunter remembered it; dark, and unnaturally still, untouched by any outside forces. Had Kyle not known that those that inhabited this place would try to kill him on sight, he would have considered this place peaceful. With dark turquoise skies, and vast fields of flowers. All of the vex architecture was overgrown with wildlife, almost resembling earths own fallen cities. Kyle inhaled, the smell of flowers was overpowering, and there was some also another smell he just couldn't quite place. Soft green grass padded and quieted his steps as he approached the large open chamber where the heart of the black garden once stood. The hunter had been sent to investigate the apparent rise in activity in the black garden, but Kyle had not seen a single Vex so far. Something felt very off. "Sara."

"Yes, Kyle?" came the bright and happy voice of his female ghost.

"Can you read any enemy activity in the garden?"

There was a pause before Sara spoke up "Wow, there is actually close to no Vex readings." She said with apparent surprise.

Almost none? The vanguards said there had been rise in activity. Could they have been wrong? Kyle checked his hand cannon to make sure it was loaded. "Lets keep going."

As he ascended the steps to the entrance, Kyle felt something in his stomach, something he hadn't felt in a long time; worry. He had fought massive hordes of hive, with nothing but his knife and never felt a thing. And yet here he was in a place so empty, feeling genuinely worried. As he neared the top of the steps, he slowed and checked his weapon once again. He crept over the last of the steps towards the gate. It was so quiet as he entered the large open room, his footsteps echoed loudly. "No turning back now…" he muttered softly to himself.

He braced himself before leaping from the ledge down onto the lower stone platform. He swept the area, checking for any threat, nothing. "Do you think the vanguard could have been wrong?" Sara asked as her white and green striped shell materialized in front of him.

"Possible. But it just doesn't make sense." He said staring at the empty area behind him.

He couldn't think of many times where the Vanguard had outright misinformed him. Sure there had been miscalculations in the past, one of which sent him to the infirmary, ghosts can't heal everything, its also rare for a ghost to actually be able to revive a guardian in an area where any darkness is present. Turning his head, he realized Sara had disappeared. "Sara?"

Panic was beginning to settle deep down in his gut, he franticly looked around the area. He finally saw her little green shape floating above a dead vex goblin, relieved he walked over to her. "Don't do that to me." He said with a serious tone.

"Oh? Sorry, I should have told you, its just there's something strange about this vex."

He looked at the dead goblin that she was hovering above. He couldn't see what was so interesting about it. Seeing that Kyle wasn't impressed, Sara explained. "There is a strange dark aura around this goblin."

Kyle cocked his head to the side. "Darker than **most"** Sara then retorted.

It was plain to see that Sara was trying very hard to read his expression, but that wasn't an easy task with the six eyes of his Kell-Hunter's Sight helmet staring at her instead of his normal bright blue eyes. "Why would this goblin be any different from some other vex?"

"Well according to my readings, it seems to have essence of… the heart of the black garden." Sara's voice wavered.

"Wait, how? I saw it die with my own eyes!" Kyle felt his own heart start beating twice as fast.

"I- I don't know, it just seems to have the same dark energy."

"What are you saying? That part of the heart is still alive?"

"I don't know, maybe, it's what my scan says-"

"WELL THEN YOUR SCAN IS WRONG!"

Sara backed away. "Please don't yell."

Kyle internally cursed himself, hurting his ghost's feelings felt like he was hitting a little girl. He hated yelling, especially when it was at Sara "Sorry, I'm sorry." Kyle said taking a deep breath.

"Its fine." Kyle heard the hurt in her voice.

He glanced down at the goblin, looking at it more closely; he could see small black puddles traveling across its body. What the hell? He brought up his gloved hand. What is this? As Kyle's finger made contact with the vex goblin, he instantly regretted it. Pain shot through his entire body like electricity, everything feeling extremely cold, then lukewarm, and cold again. His vision became hazy, and all sound became muffled. He suddenly felt extremely sleepy. "Kyle? Kyle are you alright?" He could hear the distant sound of his ghost speaking, barely able to understand what she was saying.

He struggled to keep his eyes open; Kyle could feel his feet slipping from underneath him. He barely felt it as his head hit the ground. So tired…

Trees, that was the first thing Kyle saw. Dark green vines hung from the brown, almost black branches of the trees. Great blooms of flowers grew around the trees; not just roses, but deep purple violets, white lily's, orange Begonias, it was beautiful. Looking up at the sky, it was a light turquoise, with no sun in sight. What was this place? So beautiful, and natural, unlike anything the guardian had ever seen before. The flowers, the trees, the soil, so many smells filled his nostrils. Everything was so perfect, and natural, that it felt unnatural. The distant sound of water could be heard, but no birds, or any animals for that matter. Just wildlife. Is this the black garden? What's going on? Kneeling, Kyle reached out for a flower, a bright red rose. As his fingers made contact, the flower immediately turned grey, in an instant it crumbled to the ground in a small heap of dust. What…? Blinding light suddenly filled his vision, with vision completely impaired, he could feel as the light burned and scorched his skin. His eyes were tight shut; he slowly opened his them in a squint, before completely opening them. What he saw was horrifying. Everything, the trees, the flowers; gone. Burnt to a crisp, just as the flower from before. There was nothing left of the forest, nothing but an empty wasteland. The rich soil, had been dried to almost stone. Why… No… The blowing wind was replaced with quiet whispers; _You caused this, the heart is dead, you must save us, bring back the heart, bring back the heart, bring back the heart._ The whispers grew louder, pounding in his head. Kyle collapsed to the ground "Stop… STOP!" Kyle shouted in hopes of being heard, but to no prevail.

His eyes were tightly shut, his hands over his ears, but the whispers still got in, lodged inside his head. Why was this happening?

"Kyle?" He could distantly hear his ghost.

"Kyle, wake up!"

The whispers, the searing light, the pain, it all stopped in an instant. His breathing came out ragged and uneven, as he stared unbelievingly up at his ghost. "Kyle… What happened?"

"I don't… I don't know." He wasn't lying.

"You were shouting to someone. What did you see?"

 **Hello! Thank you for reading, there is definitely more to come. It would be much appreciated if you could leave a review, telling me what you think, and how I can improve the story. Thanks!**


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